Laundry machine construction including a diaphragm extractor



1951 J. F. HORVATH LAUNDRY MACHINE CONSTRUCTION INCLUDING A DIAPHRAGM EXTRAC'IOR 7' Filed Aug. 2. 1946 v 2 ShootsPSh'eot 1 Juhn f. Harvdzh July 17, 1951 J. F. HORVATH mummy 1110111111: consume-non mcummc 2 sh h-snout 2 A mmmcu EXTRACTOR Filed Aug. 2. 1946 v $3M- John E Hal-vat): I ,5 I W Patented July 17, 195E UNITED STATES FATE Ni OFFICE LAUNDRY MACHINE CONSTRUCTION IN CLUDING A DIAPHRAGM EXTRACTOR John F. Horvath, Milwaukee, Wis, assignor to Appliance Corporation of America,'Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation oi Wisconsin Application August 2, 1946, Serial No. 688332 (Ci. 6d-2li) 2 Claims. I

The present invention relates to a laundry machine and more particularly to a novel laundry machine container and means for oscillating the same whereby to obtain a novel fluid action therein.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel laundry machine casing and novel containers for a washing and extracting machine of the type wherein a pressure operated diaphragm is provided to expel the wash water and rinse water from the material being cleaned, as disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 637,964, now abandoned, filed December 29, 1945. That application also discloses and claims mechanism for operating the container automatically, which mechanism is adapted for use with the present invention.

Another object is to provide a laundry machine container mounted on a horizontal axis and with novel fluid agitating means therein. A further object is to provide a laundry machine container and easing which may be loaded and unloaded through openings in the front of the machine and to cover such openings with transparent panels or covers.

Other objects will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred form of the invention. wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view through the mid section of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

While the invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms, there is shown in the drawings and herein described in detail a preferred form with the understanding that it is to be considered as an exempliilcation of the principles of the invention. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings there is shown a substantially oblong laundry machine casing in mounted on a base II and provided with a circular opening in its upper front wall. The edge of the casing around this opening is formed with an inverted L shaped flange 12 to receive a door 13 having a metallic outer rim 14 in which is secured a transparent panel l of glass or other suitable material. Suitable gaskets are provided to securely maintain the door 13 in the opening in a leakproof manner.

Secured to the base ll adjacent the front of the casing is a bracket l6 and behind it is-a support member ill in which most of the operating mechanism of the machine is housed. -The-tops of the members It and ii are curved to provide a base for a substantially spherical imperiorate metal container Iii comprising front and back substantially hemispherical sections 89 and 20 formed with laterally extending flanges adapted to be locked together by a clamping ring 2 i. The front section 59 is provided with a central opening, the edge of the section around the opening being flanged inwardly and adapted to be secured to the flange l2 surrounding the opening in the casing so that said openings are in registry and both are closed by the door 93. The rear section ill is also provided with a central opening. formed with an inwardly extending flange 22.

In the container is is another substantially spherical metal container 23 comp'ising a perforated front section 2 3 and an imperforate rear section 25, both substantially hemispherical and formed with laterally extending flanges adapted to be locked together by means of a clamping ring 26. The front section 26 is provided with a circular central opening around which is an outstanding lip and which is adapted to be closed by a door 2? of greater diameter than the opening and mounted inside the section on a hinge 28. On the outer surface of the door adjacent the hinge is an arcuate catch member 29, the free end of which is notched and which, when the door is fully opened, may be placed against the edge of the opening to hold the door open. The door is also provided with a spring latch 30 on its edge opposite the hinge and with a central opening in which is mounted a transparent panel 3i secured in place by a suitable bracket. The interior of the front section 24 is provided with four ribs 32, in axial planes of the container, spaced 90 apart, of flexible material, and secured to the tub in any suitable manner.

The rear section 25 is provided with four rigid ribs 33 suitably secured to the section walls and in the same planes respectivelyas the ribs 32. As shown, the ribs 33 extend from the edge of the section 25 to a point adjacent the center of its rear wall. A flexible diaphragm member '34 of rubber ,or other suitable material, the edge of which is secured between the flanges of the sections 24 and 25, normally overlies the interior wall of the rear section 25 and is provided with raised hollow portions or pockets adapted to receive the ribs so as to overlie them snugly.

The central part of the rear wall of section 2! is flattened and to it is secured a member 3!, the reduced outer end of which extends through the opening in the container It. In the member 35 is keyed the end of a shaft 36 mounted in roller bearings 31'! and 33 in housing 33 bolted to the top of the member H. Between the reduced end of the member 35 and the flange 22 of the container i3 is a leak-proof bearing member 40.

Secured to, or integral with, the shaft 38, is a crank arm 4!, the free end of which is bifurcated and adapted to receive a pin also extending through the end of a connecting rod 42, the other end of which connecting rod is attached to the end of a crank arm 43 on the end of the shaft of a speed reducer 44 on a motor 45, both the motor and speed reducer being bolted to the base It.

A nozzle extends through the front section 24 of the container 23, and is attached to one end of a flexible hose 48, the other end of which hose is attached to a fitting 41 in the front section IQ of the container 3 and which in turn is attached to a pipe 48 leading to a source of washing and rinsing fluid not shown). A fitting 50 extends through the wall of the rear section 25 of the inner container 23 and to it is attached one end of a flexible hose the other end of which hose is connected to a fitting 52 extending through the rear section 20 of the outer container l8 and the curved part of the top of the support member l1, and in turn connects with a pipe 53 leading to a pressure pump and -source of pressure fluid. The outer container I8 is provided at its lowermost portion with a drain opening in which is fitted a drain pipe 54 which is provided with a suitable valve 55 for opening and closing the drain pipe according to the operation being performed in the machine.

The means and method for operating the machine are fully set forth in my copending application, Serial No. 637,964. and reference is made to it for a complete understanding of the same. As shown herein, the doors l3 and 21 are opened and material to be washed, and soap, are placed in the inner container and the doors secured in closed position. The operator then opens a mixing valve (not shown) in the supply line 48 until the containers are filled to the proper level with hot water of the desired temperature, the operator observing the depth of the water through the transparent windows. The valve 55 is closed at this time. The operator then turns on the motor by moving a suitable switch and the inner container 23 is oscillated through the gear box 44, crank 43, link 42, crank 4| and shaft 35 to agitate the contents of the inner container.

As shown in my said copending application, the machine is preferably provided with a timer which controls the machines operation in an automatic manner whereby the material is washed and the washing fluid extracted therefrom and from the container 23 by fluid introduced under pressure behind the diaphragm 34 which forces the fluid out the openings in the front section 24 of the inner container 23 and then forces the material against the sides of this section to express or squeeze the fluid therein through these openings and eventually out the drain. At this time the flexible ribs 32 yield radially outwardly. The containers are then filled with clean, cold water to rinse the material in the inner container and which is then extracted from the material and the container 23 and the motor turned off. The timer would be equipped -with means to open the valve 55 after the washing operation and close it for part of the rinsing operation to insure a full container for this operation and just prior to the stopping of the motor so as to retain the cleaning fluid in the container during the next operation. This automatic operation, however, is not the subject matter of the present application which is directed to the construction of the casing and containers and the mechanism for operating the inner container.

The flexible ribs 32 are compressed against the wall of the inner container when the flexible diaphragm 34 is moved to its most forward position, to avoid injury to the clothes which might occur during extraction if ribs 32 were rigid.

I claim:

1. In a washing machine, a stationary im- Derforate outer container, and an inner substantially spherical container comprising a hollow hemispherical front section and a hollow hemispherical rear section secured together around their meeting edges, the front section having perforations and the rear section being imperforate, said inner container being rotatably mounted on a horizontal axis in said outer container, said inner container being provided with spaced rigid ribs on the interior of its rear section and flexible ribs on the interior of its front section, said front section ribs being respectively in the same planes as said rear section ribs, said ribs each being in an axial plane of said container, a flexible diaphragm normally covering the interior of said rear section and snugly overlying the ribs therein, and means connected to said inner container for introducing fluid under pressure between said flexible member and the walls of the inner container to expel the wash water and rinse water from the inner container and clothes, said flexible ribs being compressed against the wall of the inner container when the diaphragm is in its most forward position to avoid injury to the clothes which might occur if these ribs were rigid.

2. In a washing machine, an oscillatable spherical container having an opening in one end for entry and removal of materials to be cleansed, an apertured removable closure for said opening, spaced rigid ribs on the interior of the container in the half away from said opening, flexible ribs on the interior of the container in the half containing said opening, a flexible diaphragm normally covering the interior of that half of the container away from said opening and snugly but loosely overlying the rigid ribs therein, and means for introducing fluid under pressure behind said diaphragm for moving it forwardly to expel cleansing liquid from the container and said materials, said flexible ribs being compressed against the wall of the container when the diaphragm is in its most forward position.

JOHN F. HORVATH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the I file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

